Tulsi Basil

Thank you to everyone who came to the tea lecture and tasting last Sunday! We did not have enough time to discuss herbals and I promised to share more information about the benefits of Tulsi Basil(Ocimum tenuiflorum). In my opinion, tulsi is one of the most beneficial herbals that we know of (plus, it makes delicious tea)! Tulsi has been used for over a thousand years in Ayurveda- most often for balancing the body effects. Tulsi is used for stomach problems, headaches, inflammation, poisoning, heart disease and the common cold. It has anti-bacterial properties and recent studies suggest that tulsi may be a COX-2 inhibitor (pain reliever) as well as being a possible treatment for diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels. Tulsi is commonly used in South Asia as a medicinal plant. Just be sure you don't confuse tulsi basil with Thai basil- the latter is used for cooking only.

Another Reason To Drink Tea

Just a little tidbit to think about. A 14oz (this is the small size)coffee latte has approximately 150 calories, without any sweetener or syrup. If you drink one a day for a year you have racked up 54,750 calories (if you use syrup and sweetener you can add another 25,000 calories- mochachino anyone??). That equates to 15.6 pounds of body fat per year. Switch to unsweetened (or use Splenda or Stevia) and you could slim down without much effort. Just a thought.


http://www.annecollins.com/weight-loss-support/calories-coffee-latte.htm

Tea Tasting on Sunday, November 8th

Join us at the Springfield Library this Sunday at 1pm for a special tea tasting and discussion. We will taste 5 different tea varieties and discuss the origin of each.
http://fls.mclinc.org/news.shtml#programs

The Hill Tea Bar will be closed on 11/8 for this event.

Spooky Live Concert on Halloween

Come and join us on 10/31 (12noon) for a Spooky Family Concert at The Hill Tea Bar. Michael Mabry will entertain with a special Halloween selection. Michael has been performing in Philadelphia for over 15 years and is an accomplished singer and songwriter. We will also have lots of treats for the little ghosts and goblins!!

White Tea

I am asked about white tea more often than any other tea variety. While it has become popular in the United States its popularity is still small compared to black and green tea. The first export of White Peony to Europe wasn't until 1922. While white tea is a relatively new product to us it has a long history in China- it is traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It is so revered in China that during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD)they developed the "9 Forbidden Rules" for harvesting white tea (the rules are still used today).

No plucking is permitted when:
- Raining
- Early morning when the dew is too wet
- Buds too thin (premature)
- Purple buds (post-mature)
- Buds damaged by wind, insects or human-mishandling
- Opened mature buds
- Hollow buds
- De-shaped buds
- Buds with more than two leaves

An interesting fact for all of the Silver Needles lovers is that it takes more than 3,000 buds to make up 1 pound of tea.

October Family Events at The Hill Tea Bar!

We have two spectacular family events planned for October.

October 24th at 1pm- Kid's Fall Fun Day at The Hill Tea Bar!
Kids Tea Party and Craft Hour hosted by renowned watercolor artist Ginny Lang. Kids of all ages are welcome to enjoy the tea party and then create some magical crafts with Ginny. Ginny is the creator of "watercolor quilt art" and her works have been shown in numerous East Coast galleries and museums. She has put together an exciting agenda of autumn glitter leaves, abstract paper art and tissue paper flowers....plus she will be bringing her face painting kit! Cost is $12.50 per child. Reservations are required 215-381-2226.

October 31st- Family Halloween Concert with Michael Mabry. Michael is an accomplished singer and songwriter who has been entertaining Philadelphia audiences for over 15-years. Join Michael as he sings some spooky tunes!

The Annual Chestnut Hill Fall Festival- This Sunday 10/4

They are calling for beautiful weather on Sunday for the annual Chestnut Hill Fall Festival (11am-5pm on Germantown Avenue). Stop by our tent for a taste of our hand-blended green pina colada tea. At 1:45 there will be a demonstration of Laughter Yoga (by Laugh Yourself Philly)in the garden of The Hill Tea Bar. Come enjoy an afternoon in Historic Chestnut Hill!